The Grim Reaper's Tale
by buggirl101
Summary: When Rue Ryuzaki was commited to a hospital he changed a single nurse's life forever. Years later a book entitled, "Tale of a Grim Reaper" would reaccount this man's story. This is that nurse's account of Beyond Birthday's last years on earth.
1. Burns and Nurses

Hello all! And welcome to my little Snow inspired fic-idea. It might span a couple of chapters; it depends on the feedback really. So, if you like it and want me to continue let me know.

To explain the title, Beyond has the 'Shinigami Eyes' Shinigami is essentially 'death god' so…what's the closet thing in the English speaking language to a death god?

A Grim Reaper. So, yes. Technically he's a Grin Reaper.

Oh, and Happy Late Christmas! XD Or happy whatever Holiday you celebrate.

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or Another Note: The L.A BB Murder Case. They belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Darling, I forgive you... After all,  
anything is better than to be alone.  
And in the end I guess I had to fall.  
Always find my place among the ashes.  
~ Lithium, Evanescence

The staff on the 7th floor of Torrance Memorial Medical Center was doing their job.

Taking care of their patients in the burn unit.

One nurse, a kind-hearted Christian girl by the name of Maria was preparing a room. Apparently they were getting some criminal as a patient.

The thought disturbed her, but she would do her job. After all…even criminals were human. And as her Priest said, "All deserve a second chance. Didn't God give you a chance? Then you should give others the same chance."

She smiled slightly, pausing in her work to gently touch the cross that dangled from her neck. It was a beautiful shining sliver; a single small diamond encrusted the center of the cross.

Another nurse who walked by spoke to her. "Hey, Maria. Your new patient's here. Hurry up!" Her eyes widened as she jumped back to work, she didn't have much to do, just set the bed into a lying position.

After her task was done she stepped out of the room to the nurses' desk. She took a seat in a empty chair and began her paperwork.

Another 20 minutes passed before she first got a glimpse of the new patient.

* * *

All she could see was white bandages. Nothing new, she saw people coated in them every day. Random black strands of hair could be seen beneath the gauze.

And then her eyes traveled downward, only to grasp her cross with a small gasp.

He was handcuffed to the bed.

Two pair of handcuffs held his heavily gauzes hands to the rails, a oxygen mask hid what little of his face wasn't covered by gauze. That couldn't be legal! She thought bitterly.

But did the state or system cared? No. She could only guess it was because of his 'arrested' status. A cop who had been walking with the bed-ridden man moved towards the station forcing Maria to look away.

"Yes, sir?" She asked politely. The officer nodded in welcome, getting out his badge. "I'm Jacob Griswold. Are you the charge nurse, Ma'am?" She nodded in reply, standing up.

He motioned for her to follow him and she did. The officer then began to speak. "Here's his medical chart." She took the offered chart, and was amazed at what it read.

Name: Rue Ryuzaki

Age: Unknown

Birth date: Unknown

Status:

60% 3rd Degree Burns

20% 2nd Degree Burns

10% 1st Degree Burns

Minor Frostbite on fingers and face

Most of damage seems to be centered on lower extremities, Damage on upper extremities is minor, only few layers of skin affected. Frostbite caused by a Fire Extinguisher. Take care with tips of fingers. Amputation of tips of fingers and feet may be needed.

"Merciful Lord…" She breathed. Maria had never heard of someone having this much damage and still is alive. The cop agreed vocally. "Not pretty is it? Still, the bastard did deserve it." Her head snapped up to glare angrily at the cop.

"Refrain from profanities around me please." She hissed out angrily. The cop simply shrugged. Deserve it? She thought, what did he do to deserve THIS? "Um…excuse me…but 'deserve it'? What did he do?"

The cop instantly looked annoyed. "Sorry. Can't say, still in investigation. Until the FBI's done I can't say a word." FBI? That's pretty big, she thought.

The cop, Jacob then moved to Rue's bedside uncuffing his hands from the rails. As he walked part her she said, "Thank you." She then said goodbye to the cop, who simply walked away with a shrug.

* * *

And so she moved into the room to redress the patient's gauze. As she began with his head the first thing she noticed was his eyes. They were glazed, obviously from narcotics. But a shining shade of brown that almost glowed red.

He turned those eyes to her, still breathing in the oxygen that the mask provided. She smiled at him. "I'm Maria, your nurse for this shift. It's nice to meet you." She glanced at his chart quickly. "Mr. Ryuzaki is it? Are you from Japan?" He still stared at her, not moving his head a inch to incline anything.

Well, she thought…what a lovely way to start. And why on earth is he staring? Surely she wasn't that pretty. She was pale, with pasty red-blotched skin. Scars coated her face from old Cysts and Pimples.

There was nothing special about her yellow-y blonde hair. Her eyes were sky-blue typical for a blonde.

In truth, Beyond couldn't care less about her looks. He wasn't staring for that. He was staring because of the random patterns of numbers that floated gently back and forth above her head. That was strange. He thought, if he could recall correctly Lawliet was supposed to die on that same day.

A few years before the woman would but still. Seeing someone with the same death-date was unusual but certainly not unheard of. He turned his gaze downward to the softly bouncing cross on her neck.

Perfect. She was religious. He briefly wondered that if he asked for an 'atheist' nurse if he could get one. But he kept silent. This one seemed to be quite the silent type. Maybe this was good.

He didn't want a blabbermouth for a nurse. People who chattered on for hours over nothing annoyed him to no end. Yes, he decided. He would keep this nurse.

After she was done re-applying his gauze to his head she gently removed his oxygen mask. "Does that feel better?" She asked. And at his curious look answered. "Your chart says nothing about needed oxygen. No need for something you don't need."

He felt the crisp air hit his chapped and peeling lips. It burned, but he took it well. The rest of his body hurt much worse. "So…" She began. He could feel his eyes roll. So he DID get a blabbermouth. How wonderful.

"If you need to talk about anything, or need anything pleasantry wise let me know." He thought for a moment before asking. He hadn't been able to use his voice for ages, so it was hoarse.

"Is there…anything about L in the papers?" Her gaze snapped to his. "N-no. Not today I'm afraid. Do you like reading about L?" "Something like that." He murmured in reply.

She smiled and began working on his feet and legs. "I like reading articles about L too. Amazing what a single person can do, isn't it?" "Yes it is." He whispered, old memories catching up to him and softly flitted back and forth through his mind.

She finished her job and Rue remained quiet. She thought that he had simply fallen asleep so she left the room quietly.

* * *

It had been 3 days since Maria had worked. She was happy to be back, and began her route quickly wanting to get to the new patient, Ryuzaki. He fascinated her for some reason.

And today she had a very special surprise for him. A magazine that had a front cover article on L solving the 'Locked Room Killings'. She was ecstatic. This could be the thing that opens the patient up for a conversation!

So she entered his room happily greeting him with a "Good Morning!" He turned his head towards her, and she found that the gauze was missing. "I see you've recovered some, that's great!"

She beamed at him and then took his face in really for the first time. He was pale, er, would have been pale if it wasn't for the peeling skin and red scars prominent on his face.

That didn't bother her, he was getting better and that's all she cared about. "I've got something for you. I remembered that you said you liked things about L so…I found a magazine article about him. After I'm done I'll read it to you, ok?"

He nodded. His slightly matted hair fell part way into his face. She worked slowly chatting to him about a patient she had been working with, a little girl. Beyond listened only slightly.

Finally she sat in a chair beside the bed and began reading the magazine. Beyond listened with fascination at the way his own story had been recorded. The 'insane psychopath' comment he disregarded.

"…and that's it." She finished. "What did you think? Pretty good huh?" "I suppose." He replied. She sighed, so he still wasn't talking about anything. Oh, well. She'd continue until he did.

So, she began to move to leave only to freeze once Rue's voice reached her. "Miss Maria wasn't it?" She turned around and nodded happily. "…Come back here during your break…won't you?"

She grinned, finally! "Oh, of coarse! You don't mind if I eat in here do you?" He shook his head no. "It's a date then!" She said with a laugh before leaving the room.

* * *

None of the other nurses could believe that he had asked her to go back during her break. She didn't answer their questions about anything else and they eventually left her alone. Then…it was time to eat lunch.

She moved to his room 703, and sat in the chair beaming at Beyond. He was silent at first, staring at the ceiling. Then he turned those reddish eyes towards her.

"You said something about talking right?" She nodded. "Then I suppose I'll bore you with my life story. That little article of yours was fascinating." She smiled, "I knew you'd like it. And I'm sure whatever you say won't bore me."

He smirked. "Well…" He began. His eyes glazing over even more then they already were as memories passed through his mind.

"I was raised in England, a orphanage for gifted children. The man who took us in was almost always busy with inventing things so he could never remember our names. Instead of calling us nothing he chose to call us by nicknames. Mine was 'B' because I was second best grade-wise…" And so Beyond Birthday, B, Rue Ryuzaki, Backup, began telling this almost complete stranger his life.

* * *

Alrighty! So, this is my first chapter. (I will be writing more. I just don't know when.) I hope you all enjoyed and tell me what you think.


	2. Paintings and Prophetic Names

Hello all! Welcome to chapter 2 of A Grim Reaper's Tale! I hope you all enjoy!

DiscLaimer: I don't own Death Note, or Another Note: The LABB murder cases. I really don't.

* * *

_Out of all the creatures I thought existed…Grim Reapers weren't on that list. But there he was, staring at me with those red death-tinged eyes. As he stared he eventually spoke. "You know…you're supposed to die on the same day that my beloved Angel did." I stared at him. "Angels can't die." He grinned at me, his black lips curling in a most terrible way. "Oh yes they can. After all, I was born wasn't I?"_

_~ Tale of a Grim Reaper Chapter 1: 6th Paragraph_

_As written by Maria-Sinclair Glazes_

Whammy's House was a gigantic place. Even for a rich man's standards. It was always looming over the large iron-gates that stood out starkly against its surroundings. I had always wondered what it was like inside the big place.

Now that I had a free invitation to go in…I didn't want to. Mother had always tried to yank me away from those gates claiming, "Orphans were nothing but trouble always stealing."

"But…what am I to do now that I'm one of those thieving orphans, Mother?"

Beyond thought these ideas out loosely. Gently whispering his question to his dead mother's spirit…if it was still there. He wasn't a medium. He couldn't see dead people. It would be quite strange if he could.

Besides…he didn't want to see his mother's spirit. She'd probably just yell at him and tell him what a damned seed of your father's he was. His mother had been one of those extremely finicky women who made you wonder what would happen should such a high and mighty power should fall.

…Which probably led her to be found strangled to death in some dumpster.

The police had never found her killer. It was best if they didn't to be honest. But, sometimes Beyond thought it would help if he knew these things.

Like…his father. His mother had never told him anything about his father besides that his father had been the one to name him. A strange name that most of her friends and coworkers would laugh loudly at.

He didn't care about those people or their opinions. All he truly cared about right now was the chance to have friends. Sure, he had friends on the outside that didn't laugh at his name or think that his mother was weird.

But what he really wanted was friends that he could talk to…intelligently. You see, Beyond was smarter then your average grade-school child. He was called teacher's pet and the like, but he couldn't help it.

If you're smart, you're smart.

It seemed that there was one adult who cared. The man called Whammy was very nice. When he asked for something sweet, like a biscuit slathered with strawberry-jam…he would get it for him.

Beyond like Whammy…even If he was old.

He didn't like old people. Old people smelt weird and…they reminded him of death. He didn't like death. It didn't scare him, nor was he afraid of dying. He just…disliked the idea of it all.

Hopefully, today was the day that he would find a smart, true, friend.

* * *

Whammy had shown him around, and introduced him to various children that lived there. Like Kohl the overly burly boy with a squinty pig-shaped face and odd bowl-cut on his oily hair.

As Whammy brought him to his shared room he met his roommate. Whammy opened the door, and greeted the messy-haired child. "Good morning, Angel. Just now waking up? It's awful late you know."

Angel flopped back under the sheets with a groan at this remark. Whammy chuckled. "Why Angel, I just thought that you would like to see your new roommate." The boy perked up, slipping into a sitting position on the bed.

He was blonde Beyond noticed. With forest green eyes and a tired face. "Angel, this is Backup." 'Angel' nodded at the boy, "Nice to meet you." He barely whispered it, his voice sounded hoarse like he had a cold.

Whammy smiled, "Well then, Backup. Why don't you put up your things, and Angel will introduce you to the other children."

After Whammy had left Angel spoke suddenly. "When your done wake me up. I'm too bloody tired for this." And with those words Angel collapsed on the bed burying himself in the sheets again. Before Beyond heard him speak again,

"And for the record…just call me A would'cha? Angel's too prophetic."

It had taken Beyond a lot longer then he had thought to unpack his things. When he woke A up the boy had bolted straight out of bed getting tangled in the sheets and falling ungracefully to the floor in a big heap.

"Bloody 'Ell Mate!" He had halfway yelled from the floor. A untangled himself and stood. He slouched slightly, seeming to be too tired for anything really.

"Come on, then." He muttered, waiting patiently by the door for Beyond to scramble to it and into the hallway that lied behind.

The pair had walked through most of the buildings. As Beyond was happy to discover the big one building he had always seen from the road was actually a small cluster of fairly large buildings much like a school.

Brick hallways with stained glass windows connected them all. Most of the buildings had either hardwood or tiled floors. Kids flitted about in the hallways talking or sitting in corners playing word games and crossword puzzles.

Beyond had been ecstatic to see this; he liked word games and puzzles. It helped him think things through. It didn't work nearly as well as jam did…but it would help certainly.

A would introduce him to random kids he obviously knew. Most would not pay any attention at all or would say a simple "Hello." Before returning to whatever they were doing.

After the few hour-long walks, A took him to the kitchen where they snuck some pieces of cake. Beyond had asked why they had to sneak them, and A's very plain reply was,

"L gets all the cakes period. 'Side's Roger would get pissy if he caught us."

Beyond shrugged, holding back his question of "Who's L?" It didn't really matter, besides…if he hogged cake coated in THIS much strawberry preserves then the guy was a big prick!

He meant…come on! They were perfect! And there was boxes upon boxes of them scattered in the kitchen, and one in an oven too! That just wasn't right.

After the snack the pair made their way back to their room, where A suddenly snatched Beyond by the shoulder and pulled him back behind a corner. A then peeked that way, whispering to him, "See that door there?"

B had struggled to look around the corner too; A was pretty strong for such a lazy person. He was about to ask, "What door?" But it was fairly obvious which one A was talking about.

It was made of a dark cherry wood instead of the plain oak that all the other doors were made of. It was neatly polished and shone with a assortment of colors from a stained glass window across the hall from it.

As he stared he noticed that the reflection made something, a picture of sorts. He peered even farther ignoring A's "Don't even think about it!" When he saw the painting beside the window he was entranced with the picture immediately.

It was almost a religious picture, depicting a man clothed in armor of gold and white. His face was blurred out from the sun. He held a scale up high in his left hand, and a book was clasped against his armor with his right.

His foot was on a man's back, the man was un-detailed and hastily made. He then read the small plaque beside the painting. "Justice."

A yanked him back around the corner, and began whispering feverishly again. "That's L's room. Only door in the hall. He's usually never there, but, it's better be safe then sorry. Roger and Whammy would KILL us if we did something to mess L up."

B didn't understand but nodded anyway, and allowed A to pull him back to their room.

* * *

That night B had the strangest dream about armies in armor and people wrapped in chains. When he woke up, he looked at the clock only to see that it was 2 o'clock in the morning.

He growled to himself, what a way to start his first day. He then peered over to the other side of the room at A, making absolutely sure that he was asleep.

Then he snuck a small notebook and pen out of his dresser, he carefully flipped through old worn pages in the front to a fairly new section of paper that had been added.

He took a deep breath closing his eyes and he slowly recalled all the glowing letters he had seen that day.

Beyond spent the rest of the night writing down nicknames and true names for everyone he had met. Right around when A drug out of his bed to head to the bathroom, B had made one final small portion of the list that read,

_L – Name unknown, meet as soon as possible. _

_Angel/A- Abraham Cicero, date moves too much to calculate. Worries too much about this 'L'. Needs further investigation. _

_

* * *

_

Alrighty! I'm done with this new chapter! So, remember, R & R gets you faster chapters!


End file.
